CHOCOLATE!!! CHOCOLATE!!!

It would be practically criminal for me to not start this off with a Spongebob reference on account of how many times I quote this on a regular basis but especially on the chocolate farm.

I recently toured Lydgate Farms on Kauai, Hawaii. They are a small scale sustainable cocao farm and have some of the best chocolate I have ever eaten (and I’ve eaten a LOT of chocolate). Offering a three hour tour that walks you through the property and starts with a large local tropical fruit tasting. I had never heard of some of these fruits but they were incredibly fresh and delicious. They also included a tasting of their award winning honey and a tour of their vanilla bean plants.

From the fruit tasting you walk deeper into the jungle and stop to see some breathtaking flowers, bamboo the size of houses, and of course cacao trees. Our amazing tour guide Alexandria pulled out a machete, chopped a pod off a tree, cut it open, and let us eat the fruit/seed. The fruit was sweet and the seed was bitter which was a surprising combo.

Next was the part everyone was waiting for… the chocolate tasting! We sampled 12 different chocolates while learning about how and where chocolate is produced around the world (and how not all chocolate is ethically produced). It was amazing getting to taste the differences in chocolate and hear how chocolate can actually be really good for you.

We found out that every three weeks there is an opportunity to volunteer on the farm and help harvest the cacao. We jumped at the opportunity to come help and man am I glad we did!

As we drove to the farm we saw that it was raining and we were worried that it would be cancelled. But thankfully “the trees don’t care if they get wet” ;) and we harvested in the pouring rain! It was honestly nice because the rain kept it cool and kept the bugs away. By the end of the harvest we were soaking wet and covered in cacao guts and filled with joy.

We lucked out because the Strongylodon macrobotrys (commonly known as the blue jade vine) was in bloom. I have never ever seen a plant with such a beautiful turquoise blue.

Also here you can truly see how soaked in rain and cacao guts I was haha

This truly was an experience of a lifetime and cannot recommend it enough. We bought so much chocolate, honey, cacao nibs, vanilla, and nectar to take back with us. Luckily Lydgate Farms ships so even once I am back on the mainland I will still be able to enjoy their amazing products. If you are ever in Hawaii, they are a must visit! But until that day, I’d really encourage you to check out their website and order some chocolate for yourself!

Check them out on instagram too! Lydgate Farms Instagram